LGBT campaigners from Leeds are urging their city council to grant them an official gay quarter – and, this week, visited Liverpool to learn their recipe for success on the matter.

Led by Sarah Carmody, Chair of the official Gay Leeds committee, the campaign wants to see a formal area for the West Yorkshire city's LGBT community.

Joined by Stuart Pugh, manager of The Bridge LGBT Bar, Michael Rothwell, owner of Fibre, and John Ebo, Deputy Head of Service for Leeds City Centre management, the group travelled to the Merseyside capital to meet members of the Stanley Street Quarter – a local grass-roots organisation which recently helped make Liverpool's Gay Quarter a reality.

In recent months, Liverpool's Stanley Street area has been re-defined with rainbow-flag street signs, temporary traffic restrictions during set hours and tourist information maps.

Together, they discussed the future of the Leeds campaign and shared knowledge to maximise its potential success.

Speaking to PinkPaper.com, Carmody told us the day was informative and inspiring.

“We are incredibly grateful for the time that the SSQ delegation took to give us such an amazing welcomed and informative day," she said.

"They have achieved incredible things in Liverpool and given us a clearer vision for Leeds. From today, I am forming a stakeholders committee which will include a fair and balanced representation of LGBT people and together we will work with the council.

"We have decided to drop the name Leeds Gay Quarter and simply be called Gay Leeds, which already has a website, Twitter, Facebook and even a Youtube channel in place.

"Though we are not official as yet, Leeds City Council are doing their up-most to help and I look forward to a long and happy working relationship with them that will benefit every single LGBT person and their families within Leeds."

Leeds already has an established gay scene, boasting 6 gay bars, a nightclub and some gay businesses dotted around.

The Committee’s plans for the city improvements include street signs, rainbow flags and even painting a bridge, which can be seen from the top end of Leeds in rainbow colours.

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